Optical fiber is increasingly being used for a variety of applications, including but not limited to broadband voice, video, and data transmission. As consumer devices are steadily using more bandwidth, fiber optic interface devices for these devices will likely move away from electrical connections and toward using optical connections for increased bandwidth. Generally speaking, conventional fiber optic interface devices used for telecommunication networks and the like are not suitable for consumer electronic devices.
For instance, conventional fiber optic interface devices are relatively large compared with consumer devices and their interfaces. Additionally, conventional fiber optic interface devices are deployed with great care into relatively clean environments and/or cleaned by the craft before connecting them to a telecommunications device. Further, even though fiber optic interface devices are reconfigurable (i.e., suitable for mating/unmating), they are not intended for a relatively large number of mating cycles. Instead, conventional fiber optic interface devices are high-precision fiber optic connectors designed for reducing insertion loss between mating fiber optic interface devices in the optical network.
On the other hand, consumer electronic devices are expected to have a relatively large number of mating/unmating cycles during ordinary operation. The consumer electronic devices will be operated in a multitude of environments where dirt, dust, and other debris are encountered on a regular basis. Further, consumer electronic devices typically have size and space constraints for making connections. Consequently, there is an unresolved need for fiber optic interface devices suitable for consumer electronic devices.